Subject Pages Administration Guide

Ver.2.1 November 2017

Content

s1 Introduction & Overview........................3

1.2 Changes in Version 2..............................3

2 Structure and Organisation.....................4

3 Managing Subject Pages.........................5

3.1 The Page Listing..............................5

3.2 Page Structure.................................5

3.3 Page Types......................................6

3.4 Subsection Types.............................6

3.5 Adding a Page.................................6

3.5.1 Adding a Title..........................7

3.5.2 Adding Introductory Text........7

3.5.3 Submitting Pages.....................7

3.6 Adding a Location Page...................7

3.7 Adding a Subsection........................8

3.7.1 Selecting a Subsection Type....8

3.7.2 Providing a Subsection Title....9

3.7.3 Entering Subsection Text.........9

3.7.4 Submitting Subsections...........9

3.8 Working with References................9

3.8.1 Adding References..................9

3.8.2 Adding Descriptions..............10

3.8.3 Submitting References..........10

3.8.4 Sorting References................11

3.9 Editing Content.............................11

3.9.1 Editing Pages.........................11

3.9.2 Editing Subsections...............11

3.9.3 Editing References.................12

3.10 Sorting Pages & Subsections.........12

3.11 Deleting & Restoring Content.......13

3.12 Viewing Pages...............................13

4 Resource Management................................................................................................................

4.1 Adding a Resource...............................................................................................................

4.1.1 Resource Titles.............................................................................................................

4.1.2 URL for the Resource...................................................................................................

4.1.3 Primary Category.........................................................................................................

4.1.4 Available through Discovery........................................................................................

4.1.5 Resource Description...................................................................................................

4.2 Submitting the Resource......................................................................................................

4.3 Editing a Resource...............................................................................................................

4.4 Deleting a Resource.............................................................................................................

5 Managing Classmarks..................................................................................................................

6 Managing Staff Details.................................................................................................................

6.1 Adding Staff.........................................................................................................................

6.2 Editing Staff..........................................................................................................................

6.3 Deleting Staff.......................................................................................................................

7 Managing Notifications........................................................................................................

7.1 Adding a Notification...........................................................................................................

7.1.1 Headlines.....................................................................................................................

7.1.2 Blog Link or Page Content?..........................................................................................

7.1.3 Start and Finish Dates..................................................................................................

7.1.4 Subject Selection..........................................................................................................

7.1.5 Publication...................................................................................................................

7.2 Viewing a Notification..........................................................................................................

7.3 Editing a Notification...........................................................................................................

7.4 Deleting/Restoring Notifications..........................................................................................

8 Managing Library Guide Links..............................................................................................

Appendix A: Current Page Types.........................................................................................................

Appendix B: Current Subsection Types................................................................................................

Appendix C: Using the TinyMCE editor................................................................................................

1 Introduction & OverviewThe Library Subject pages are a suite of web pages generated dynamically from content held in a database. Compared to static web pages, a database driven system has the advantages of

Ensuring the integrity of relationships between pages … all the internal page linking is done automatically

Data elements are reusable – e.g. a particular resource needs to be added to the system once to appear on potentially many pages. This improves consistency, reduces errors and facilitates future changes

Content can be presented in a variety of ways without editing individual pages Pages can be created/maintained with no knowledge of HTML or other web technologies

The system is divided into 2 parts:

1. A user interface which presents the database content through a series of templates. From the user’s point of view, these appear as static web pages. All have a “permalink” (i.e. an unchanging URL) associated with them so they can be addressed directly even though the “behind the scenes” method is effectively a search query.

2. An administration interface which allows registered staff to add, modify and delete page content using guided templates. “Super users” have additional privileges allowing them to manage higher level structures (faculties and subjects) and undertake other tasks.

This document describes the administration interface for normal staff use referring to the user interface as required. An Advanced Guide is available for super users.

Note that the current version of the system is, in places, a little complex partly due to the need to replicate our previous subject pages and the many variations in content. It may be possible to rationalise and simplify this in future, and hence the supporting administration system.

1.2 Changes in Version 2This update to the subject pages is largely due to the general migration to a new web environment, so the majority of visible changes are largely to do with user navigation and presentation. The changes to the administration side of things have been kept to a minimum, however there are some important one, covered in detail in the relevant sections below:

The “user reviews” feature has been removed from the system (at the request of the Subject Librarians

The way resources are managed has changed in order to make the records available to other parts of our web service (eg. Off Campus passwords). The main impact on the subject pages is to change the way resource descriptions are handled.

Classmarks are still accessible via the subject pages, however the administration of classmarks is now handled by a separate application. This will allow a members of staff outside the subject team to manage this data.

User navigation for subject pages now uses drop down menus. The admin pages still use the previous selection boxes, but you also have access to the menus to see the pages in their user facing form.

2 Structure and OrganisationWhen working with the system it is helpful to have a basic understanding of how the data which make up the subject pages is organised.

What appear as static web pages are assembled on the fly from components held in the database. A page may consist of one or more subsections which are in effect pre-formatted templates. Subsections are populated by content drawn from datasets of our available resources (with descriptions), pre-defined staff information, location information or “free form” content added at the time of page creation.

Not all pages have subsections, hence resources or other content can be added directly to a page as well as a subsection.

The system allows sub-elements of the page to be modified independently of the page using input forms. E.g. a staff member’s phone number can be changed using the staff input form and immediately shown on all pages which use that piece of information.

There are hidden relationships not shown here required to make the system work, but won’t affect the day to day management of the system. One thing to note is the different types of relationships – e.g. a single resource may have multiple descriptions (tailored for a particular subject). Similarly a classmark may span more than one floor or have more than one map.

Pages belong to subjects, which in turn belong to faculties. It is possible for pages to belong to a faculty without belonging to a subject, but pages cannot belong to a subject without belonging to a faculty (the subject is a child of the faculty). It is not possible for a page to belong to more than one subject or faculty, but producing multiple versions of content is possible.

3 Managing Subject PagesNote: the following section applies to both subject and faculty/school pages unless otherwise noted.

Administrators can add, edit or delete pages by selecting the ‘Manage Subject Pages’ option from the subject administration home page (https://library.port.ac.uk/more/subject/admin/).

Selecting ‘Manage Subject Pages’ option displays a simple drop-down selection panel, similar to that used by visitors. Select the faculty of interest and you will sees a list of any faculty pages that have been created. You can then select subjects belonging to that faculty to see a list of pages belonging to that subject. By choosing ‘select a Subject’ from the Subject drop down, you can return to the list of Faculty pages (i.e. by deselecting your chosen subject).

3.1 The Page ListingWhen you select a faculty or subject, any pages that have already been created will be listed according to a sort order you can change. Each page entry has buttons allowing you to view, edit or delete/restore the page.

Pages are colour coded to indicate their status. Those in green are published (i.e. visible to users), those in yellow are pending – only administrators can see them – and those in red have been marked for deletion.

3.2 Page Structure

The above diagram shows all the possible components of a subject page. Pages may be simpler and not require subsections or references. This structure approach helps ensure consistency of presentation, the ability to re-use existing data and makes editing existing pages easier.

3.3 Page TypesPage types are definitions for a variety of pages within the system. When you create a page, you must choose the type of page you are going to use. This

a) provides you with an input form tailored to the content expected. E.g., if your selected page type requires you to provide a title, then a mandatory input field for the title will appear.

b) applies rules to the page which may determine how it is organised and displayed.

Using the correct page type is important to ensure correct presentation and facilitate future changes to the system. Page types are pre-defined by super-users. Normal administrators cannot change them, though provision is been made to allow you to create one-off custom page types to support special requirements.

See Appendix A for currently available pages types and their purpose.

3.4 Subsection TypesMany page types support the use of subsections. Like page types, subsection types determine the presentation of content using templates to help ensure consistency. A given page may use multiple different subsection types. Only subject pages have subsections, faculty/school pages do not.

In addition to the predefined subsections, a custom option is available for material that does not suit a standard subsection.

Super users can create subsection types or modify existing ones. Those currently available are based on historic usage of subject pages.

See Appendix B for currently available subsection types and their purpose.

3.5 Adding a PageHaving navigated to the faculty or subject where you want to create a new page, you will see the [Add a New Page] button above the list of any existing pages. Click this and you will be presented with a dropdown box offering the available page type options.

Choose the page type most suited for your purpose – note that you can only use one instance of each page type per subject/faculty (eg. you can’t have two “finding articles” pages). You can however have multiple Custom Pages provided you give each a different title.

On making a selection you will be presented with a form tailored to the page type. You can change your page type selection at any time until you click the [submit] button at the bottom of the form.

As a page may have a number of components, there may be several stages to creating a complete page, depending on its purpose.

1. Add a title and/or content (depending on the chosen page type).2. Submit the page (with or without checking the ‘Publish’ tick box).3. Return to the page list. If you want to add a subsection and/or references click [Edit].4. Add subsections and/or references to the page as required and depending on page type.

While this may seem a little convoluted, this multipart approach makes editing existing pages much easier. As we infrequently create subject pages but edit them often, this saves time in the long term.

3.5.1 Adding a TitleMost page types will generate a page title automatically. This cannot be changed. If you have selected the custom page type, you will be required to enter a title in the field provided. Note the title is automatically prefixed by the name of the subject or faculty. So what the end user sees is

Subject name – your input

Titles should be short and informative, but there is no character limit on page titles.

3.5.2 Adding Introductory TextHistorically subject pages were written on the assumption that most would consist of annotated references to resources. Hence this input field would normally be used to provide a brief introduction to the references (references are added later).

However, if you have selected the custom page type, you could use this field to create an entire document of unlimited length. You don’t have to have subsections or resources in a subject page.

Text in this field is managed using the TinyMCE editor which gives you a reasonable degree of control over the formatting and presentation of the content, and you can cut ‘n’ paste into this field from other documents. Full details on using the editor can be found in Appendix C.

Note: The appearance of the text in the editor has been improved in v. 2 to closer match that of the published page, however the live page will have additional elements added (eg. a sidebar). There is a viewing function which allows you to see what the page will look like to the user.

3.5.3 Submitting PagesHaving completed the title and/or introductory sections the page needs to be submitted. You then have the option of adding additional subsections or references to the page (depending on the page type selected).

Before clicking the [Submit] button you need to decide whether you want the page to be published now or later. You may choose to delay publication (i.e. visibility to the end user) until you have added further subsections. On the other hand, you may have already written sufficient information to make publication worthwhile immediately – you can still add additional subsections later.

To publish the page now, check the ‘Publish’ tick box beneath the introductory text field.

On clicking [Submit] the page is added to the database and, if published, visible to end-users. If there were any errors in your submission you will see an error message and the page will not have been added to the database. In either case, the form will be displayed with [Submit] button replaced by an [Edit] button. You can make any necessary changes or corrections to the content and click [Edit] to re-submit the page. When done making changes, or if none are required, click the [Return] button.

You should see the page listed under the subject/faculty selection colour coded to reflect its status. By default the page is added to the end of the list, but you can change the sort order.

3.6 Adding a Location PageLocation data is held in a special page type. From the administrator’s point of view, the location data is treated as a page, however the user sees the location data as a subsection added to every page for a particular subject. Subject page are built using data held in the Classmark system.

Choose the location data page type. On the resulting form, you have a choice of ways of presenting location information.

a) Provide a free text description. E.g. “Books for your subject will be found on the 2nd floor”

You could write a much more complicated document if you choose, but a limitation of the free text option is that you can’t link to the location maps.

b) Select key classmarks for your subject by checking the appropriate tick boxes from the list of classmarks provided. If the classmark you need is not listed, you will first need to add this using the Manage Classmarks & Locations subsystem. Each classmark you select will displayed on your subject page with location information and a link to the relevant location map. If a classmark is moved in the Library the change is managed through the classmark subsystem which will automatically update any affected subject pages ensuring all pages are kept current.

c) Use both full text and classmark selections - e.g. write an introduction to your classmark selections.

If possible, at least a few key classmarks should be included whether you choose to provide a descriptive text or not. Classmarks are used by the location search feature on the website, and will allow users to quickly find where books on a subject are held without having to delve into the subject pages.

When you have completed the form, scroll to the bottom of the page and check the ‘Publish’ checkbox if required and click [submit].

3.7 Adding a SubsectionSome page types allow you to add subsections to the page. Lengthy pages can thereby be broken into more manageable pieces used to organise the page content. The use of subsections supports the legacy subject page structure, but also offers benefits for ongoing maintenance. For example, a subsection can be taken off-line for major revision work while the remainder of the page stays live for the end-users. New or replacement subsections can be added to a page but hidden from the public while being worked on, perhaps for a period of time.

Faculty page types do not support subsections.

To add a subsection to a page, navigate to the subject page list and click the [Edit] button alongside the relevant page. You should see a form similar to that used to add the page but now beneath the [Submit] button you should see a heading Page Subsections – click the [Add a Subsection] button.

Note: if you do not see a Page Subsections heading, you have selected a page type which does not support these (e.g. Reading Lists or Introduction).

3.7.1 Selecting a Subsection TypeThe first step is to create a subsection type from the dropdown list. Most of these relate to the way you want to organise your references, and reflect the structures used in the previous incarnation of the subject pages. There is also a ‘custom’ type which can be used for any purpose you choose.

Note that you can only have one example of each subsection type on any page, but you can have multiple custom subsections provided you give each one a unique title.

3.7.2 Providing a Subsection TitleFor most subsection types, the title is created automatically. In the case of custom sections, you must provide a title for the subsection. The previous character limit on title length has been removed in V.2, but you should still aim for concise titles.

3.7.3 Entering Subsection TextUsing the TinyMCE editor enter some introductory text for the subsection. Most subsection types expect references to be added later, but in the case of custom subsections, you could use this to write the complete subsection.

3.7.4 Submitting SubsectionsOnce completed the form needs to be submitted (you can add references later). Before clicking the [submit] button decide if you want the subsection to be published now or later. You may delay publication (i.e. visibility to the end user) until you have added some references or you may have already written content worth publishing immediately – you can add references later. Check the ‘publish’ tick box to make the subsection visible to end users immediately.

Note: if the parent page has not been published, then the subsection will not be visible even if you tick the ‘publish’ option, but will become visible the moment the parent page is published. If both the parent page and subsection are in an unpublished (pending) state, then publishing the page does not automatically publish the subsections – they must still be published individually. This gives you complete control over both which pages are visible to end users and which subsections of a page are visible at any given time.

On clicking [Submit] if all is well the subsection is added to the database, and if published, visible to end-users provided the parent page has been published. If there are errors in your submission you will see an error message and the subsection will not have been added to the database.

In either case, the form is displayed with the [Submit] button replaced by an [Edit] button. You can make any changes or corrections to the content and click [Edit] to re-submit the page. When done making changes, or if none are required, click the [Return] button.

You should now see the subsection listed on the page editing form colour coded to reflect its status. By default the subsection is added to the end of the list, but you can change the sort order.

3.8 Working with ReferencesA reference consists of a link to a resource with an optional description which can be added to subsections, or in some cases, directly to pages (e.g. reading list pages). Some pages (e.g. Introduction or faculty pages) do not allow references.

References draw on a database of resources which are be managed in a separate subsystem.

3.8.1 Adding ReferencesTo add a new reference, navigate to the relevant page and click the [Edit] button.

If the page supports adding references directly to the page you will see an [Add a reference] button on the form.

If the page uses subsections, you will see a list of available subsections. Click [Edit subsection] and you will see the subsection form with an [Add a reference] button.

Note: if the page type uses subsections and none have been added, you will need to add a subsection before you can add any references.

Click the [Add a reference] button to access the reference form. In many cases, the resource you want to use will already be in the database. To find it, start typing any part of the resource title into the title field. After 3 characters a list of possible matches will appear - the more characters you type, the more precise the retrieved list becomes.

If the system doesn’t find a match, then you will have to create an entry for a new resource. This is explained in Adding a Resource.

Tip: to find a resources it is best to type a group of characters which does not include spaces or punctuation. These may differ in the database to what you think they are. Typing a whole word from somewhere in the title usually gives the best results.

E.g. Just type ‘benchmarking’ for Benchmarking: an international journal

In the resulting list of matches, click on the required item, and the resource details – including the main description (see below) will be completed automatically. These cannot be changed here – to make a change you need to edit the resource so that any changes to this core data will apply to all references to the resource.

3.8.2 Adding Reference DescriptionsThe descriptions model has significantly changed with V.2

All resources should now have a main description which will displayed wherever the resource is used, so this is now part of the ‘universal’ resource record. For any subject it is possible to supplement the main description with additional information tailored to the specific subject. This tailored description is shown to the user along with the main description, but only on the relevant subject page. Subject specific descriptions are not mandatory.

If the resource you want to add exists in the database, you will see that the main description has been pre-filled. You will see an option to add a subject specific addition.

If you are adding a new record, you will see options to complete the main description and a subject specific description.

When adding a main description, please ensure it is “subject neutral” – this description may be used elsewhere – other subject pages or offcampus passwords for example.

Do not include any resource passwords or usernames in the descriptions. Access details are held in the secure offcampus passwords system. With V.2, these details will automatically be shown to logged in users when they are using the subject pages.

3.8.3 Submitting ReferencesWhen you have completed the form, click [Submit]. You will see a confirmation screen along with the option of making the reference public now, or leaving it until later. Check the ‘publish’ tick box to publish.

Note: in order for the reference to be visible to the end-user the reference’s parent subsection or page must also have been published.

Click [Confirm] to accept the reference as displayed or [Edit] to return to the reference form to make any changes (e.g. select a different description). If you click [Confirm] you will be taken back to the parent subsection or page where you can repeat the process to add additional references.

3.8.4 Sorting ReferencesReferences are automatically sorted in alphabetical order. This cannot be changed. A set of rules ensures that the sort order is in accordance with the APA style (though some amendments may be needed to deal with non-English material).

3.9 Editing ContentAll pages, sections and reference descriptions can be edited using the same dropdown navigation as used when adding new content. Editing can involve mean changing the content or status (pending to publish or vice versa). It is important to remember that the status of the parent always takes precedent over the child. E.g. if a page is in a pending state, no child subsections or references will be shown to the end user even if the child status is published.

Within the administration system published content is always listed with a green background, pending content with yellow.

The point of having a pending status is to allow work to span a period of time, or give a colleague an opportunity to review your work before publication. The granularity of the system allows parts of the page to be hidden from the end-user without having to remove the whole page.

3.9.1 Editing PagesTo edit a page, select ‘Manage Subject Pages’ from the home page and use the drop down boxes to navigate to the required faculty/school or subject. You will see a list of pages which belong to your selection. You can edit both published (marked with green) and pending pages (marked with yellow). You cannot edit a deleted page (marked in red) without first restoring it.

Click the [Edit Page] button to access a form similar to that used when creating a page with the relevant fields completed. Make whatever changes are required. You can modify formatting in the text field using the features of the TinyMCE editor.

Remember to check/uncheck the ‘Publish’ tick box according to your needs. It may well be the only edit you need to make is to change the publication status of the page.

Click [Submit] when you are finished. The form will be updated and redisplayed. You can make as many edits as you like. When you are happy, click [Return] to go back to the page listing.

Note: on this page you will also see any subsections or references used by the page listed. If these need to be edited, you can click the relevant [Edit Subsection] or [Edit Reference] buttons without returning to the page listing.

3.9.2 Editing SubsectionsTo edit a subsection, first navigate to the required page (see above). When you select [Edit Page] you will see a list of subsections beneath the page input fields. You can edit both published (marked with green) and pending subsections (marked with yellow). You cannot edit a deleted subsection (marked in red) without first restoring it.

Click the [Edit Subsection] button, and you will see a form similar to that used when creating a subsection with the relevant fields completed. Make whatever changes are required. You can modify formatting in the text field using the features of the TinyMCE editor.

Remember to check/uncheck the ‘Publish’ tick box according to your needs. It may well be the only edit you need to make is to change the publication status of the subsection.

Click [Submit] when you are finished. The form will be updated and redisplayed. You can make as many edits as you like. When you are happy, click [Return] to go back to the page listing.

Note: on this page you will also see any references used by the subsection. If these need to be edited, you can click the relevant [Edit Reference] button without returning to the page listing.

3.9.3 Editing ReferencesReferences consist of 2 parts – the link to the actual resource, and a description of the resource.

The resource record can only be edited using the Resource Management tool as changes to this affect all pages which reference the resource the resource record also includes the main description. The subject description of the resource is specific to the subject, hence can be edited using the Subject Page Manager.

To edit the resource description, navigate to the relevant page and if necessary, subsection as described above. Once you get to the required page or subsection editing form, you will see a list of references. Click the relevant [Edit Reference] button.

You will see a form with the current subject description in the text field. To alter this, simply make the required changes in the text field, or select from one of the alternative descriptions, and click [Submit]

Click [Submit] when you are done, then [Return] to go back to the parent page/subsection.

Remember to check/uncheck the ‘Publish’ checkbox as required.

3.10 Sorting Pages & SubsectionsBy default, pages and subsections are listed in the order they are added to the system (most recent at the bottom of the list). You can change the order by clicking on the up and down arrows on the right hand side of the page or subsection listing. Each click will move the page one place up or down in the listing. Changes are applied in real time to any pages that have been published.

In the case of pages, sort order has no real significance, and only affects the order pages are listed in the drop down menu. Currently, the page order reflects that used by the previous incarnation of subject pages, but there is no need to adhere to this in future, though it makes sense to have the Introduction page appear first on the list.

In the special case of custom faculty pages (which appear in all subject page dropdowns) the sort order cannot be changed. They will always be added to the end of the subject page dropdown listing after any subject specific pages.

For subsections, the sort order is more important as this dictates the order the various sections will be displayed on the published web page. As the pages are assembled on request you can change the sort order of page subsections as often as you wish, so any mistakes can be easily fixed.

3.11 Deleting & Restoring ContentPages, subsections and references can be deleted from the public view of the site.

Using the ‘Manage Subject Pages’ link on the home page navigate to the required faculty or subject page listing. There is a [Delete] button for each page. If you want to delete a subsection or reference, click [Edit Page] to see the subsections and then [Edit Subsections] to see the references. Each element has its own [Delete] button.

When you attempt to delete an entire page, the system will check a database of all the page links in the system. If any other page within the library.port.ac.uk domain (except for Library Guides) links to the page you are trying to delete, you will be shown a warning listing those pages which will be affected.

If you choose to continue with the deletion, those pages listed will end up with broken links. Ideally, you should note the pages affected and remove any links before deleting the page.

In the case of sub-sections and references, clicking [Delete] immediately removes the item from public view (as these cannot be linked to directly, there is no danger of breaking links from other pages. Note that if you want to just temporarily remove an item from the public site you can uncheck the ‘Publish’ tick box for an item.

Deleted items remain on the system for one month, listed with a red background, and can be recovered by clicking the [Restore] button. This removes the item from the deletion queue and places it in a pending (unpublished state) marked in yellow. To make the item public you will need to edit it and tick the ‘Publish’ box.

3.12 Viewing PagesTo view a page regardless of whether it is published, pending or deleted, select ‘Manage Subject Pages’ from the home page and use the drop down boxes to navigate to the required faculty/school or subject. You will see a list of pages which belong to your selection. Each page will have a [View Page] button. Click this to see the page as it will appear on the public site in a new tab/window.

One difference between the administrator’s and public views is that the administrator will be able to see content that is either pending publication (marked in yellow) or deleted (marked in red).

4 Resource ManagementA resource can be any service, website or document referred to by a subject page. Typically a subject page consists primarily of annotated links to resources. The resource link and annotation (description) are r referred to in the system as a reference.

The resource description is usually managed through the subject pages but the resources can be managed separately as a resource is only recorded once in the system, but can appear on many pages. A single record ensures that key aspects of the resource (title, URL and other attributes) are consistent across multiple pages and can be easily edited with just one edit.

4.1 Adding a ResourceNote: although Resource Management is distinct from Page Management, for convenience the system does allow you to access the Add a Resource function from within Page Management.

Select ‘Add a Resource’ from the home page. You will be presented with a form to complete.

4.1.1 Resource TitlesThis is the name of the resource. Each resource is should be a unique entry in the so it is important to avoid duplicate resources. Once you have typed more than 3 characters of your title, the system will search for database matches with those characters anywhere in the title and show them as a dropdown list. If you select a match, the rest of the form will be completed for you. Simply click [Return] to exit the form. If you want to make any changes, you need to edit the resource.

You should always use the authoritative title for the resource. As many will be listed in the Library Catalogue, you should use this entry as the title.

Note: your version of the title may differ from that in the database – you might use an acronym where the system version uses full words, a semi-colon instead of a dash. To be sure of finding any existing entries, use a full word you are sure will be in the title regardless of punctuation or formatting variations.

4.1.2 URL for the ResourceA unique web reference for the resource. Always use the full form starting with http://.Be careful with resources that require a login, as the URL for any page after logging in may include session data unique to you and not work for anyone else. To test this:

a) Access the resource and log in if required. Then copy the URL for the home page.b) Log out from the resource, close your browser, reopening it and try using the URL you have

copied (this will clear any session data held by the browser).

Some URLs may be longer than the available space on the form – it’s OK if it overflows, it will still get written to the database to a maximum length of 250 characters.

If you are describing a printed resource, then leave this field blank.

4.1.3 Primary CategoryResources are categorised according to their main purpose, though there may be overlap between resource categories. This provides a convenient way of grouping like material on some pages.

Regardless of the primary category, you are still free to use any resource under any heading or subsection of your choosing on your subject pages as the most important aspect of a resource may vary between subjects. E.g. RIBA Pix is an Audio Visual resource, but a faculty librarian may choose to list it as specialist data on their subject pages (as it is for architects). Try and think about the broadest scope of resource when choosing a category here.

a) Audio-visual resources: the content is primarily of a one or more media types.b) Bibliographic databases: resources used to find books, articles etc. either as bibliographic

records or full textc) Journals: any entry describing a single journal titled) News services & archives: cover current affairs or contain historical records of news

services (e.g. newspaper archives)e) Reading lists: use exclusively for reading lists generated within the Universityf) Specialist data: any online service providing specific data aside from bibliographic data. E.g.

statistical databasesg) Websites: sites providing an overview of an organisation or agency (e.g. government

websites), those providing subject guides or any site which does not sit easily in any of the above categories.

4.1.4 Available through DiscoveryIt was recently decided to indicating if a resource was not available through the Discovery service. This seems to have been applied in a somewhat patchy fashion, so no definitive guidance can be offered. At present, if an item is marked as not available through Discovery, this will appear alongside the resource on subject webpages. If it is, no annotation appears.

For some resources it may not make sense for the resource to be included in Discovery, hence an n.a. option (not applicable) is available, and no annotation will appear.

4.1.5 Resource DescriptionHere is where you can apply a subject neutral description of the resource. This will be displayed in conjunction with a separate subject reference on subject pages (see Working with References). This main description may also be used in other parts of the web (eg. Off Campus passwords), so it is not just for subject pages.

To write a description, type as little or as much as you like into the text field. You can format the presentation using the tools in the TinyMCE editor provided.

Note: never add username or password details for a restricted resource here. This is handled by the Off Campus Password administration.

4.2 Submitting the ResourceOnce you have completed to form, click the [Submit] button (to abandon your entry, just click ‘Return’).

Your entry will be checked. The fields for Title, Primary category and Available through Discovery are mandatory. The URL for the resource is not, but if you enter one, it will be checked for validity. This does not mean the URL is correct – simply that it is written in the correct format.

If any errors are found, the form will redisplay with an error message. Make any necessary corrections and resubmit.

If your entry passes error checking you will see a confirmation screen. Click [Confirm] to add this record to the database or [Edit] to return to the form to make any changes.

4.3 Editing a ResourceThe system lets you make changes to the record for any resource held in the system. Changes will update the record and immediately be reflected in every page which refers to that resource. So, for example, if the URL for a resource changes it only needs to be updated in one place.

To edit a resource, select ‘Edit a Resource’ from the home page. You will see a title search prompt. Just start typing the resource name and any matches in any part of the resource title will be listed – the more you type, the more precise the result list will become.

If you what you type does not match what is held in the database, you won’t get a result, so be wary of punctuation and acronyms.

E.g. “Benchmarking – an international journal” will not match “Benchmarking: an international journal”, nor will acronyms match expanded forms or vice versa. Try typing just a keyword from the title (in this case, Benchmarking) which can occur anywhere in the title.

Select a match from the results list to enter the editing form, which is used in a similar way as the form for adding a resource. Note that you can only edit the main description here. To edit a subject description, you will need to go to the relevant reference on the subject page.

For convenience, you will see a list of any pages which currently reference the resource you are editing.

When you have made the required changes, you will see a confirmation screen. Click [Confirm] to update the record (and return to the home page) or [Edit] if you need to make further changes.

4.4 Deleting a ResourceDue to the impact a mistake could make, only ‘super users’ may delete a resource from the system – deleting a resource also removes all the references on what could be many subject pages. But all administrators can delete individual references to a resource on their subject pages.

5 Managing ClassmarksIn version 2 of this system, the classmarks administration is now a separate service at https://library.port.ac.uk/more/admin/classmark. You can still add location information to your pages, but any additions, changes or deletions to the classmark data must be done through the classmark system. Anyone with permission to edit subject pages has permission to edit classmarks (but not vice-versa!).

6 Managing Staff DetailsThe system holds records of all Faculty Librarians and assistants. This is used to populate the appropriate subject pages with user support information. By updating the staff record you simultaneously update every subject page using that record. All staff details are handled through a single form accessed by selecting ‘Manage Staff Details’ from the home page.

6.1 Adding StaffAt the top of the Add / Edit Staff Details form is a list of staff already entered into the system – these links are used for editing. The remainder of the form consists of fields to be completed.

To add new staff, begin by entering their personal details. At the end of this row is an [Add an Image] button linking to staff pictures held in our image library. You can browse through the images and select the one you want to appear on the subject pages.

Note: the gallery of images on the MySubject home page is not managed through this system – it is hand coded. Contact the system manager if you want your image changed. Usually, but not necessarily, it will be a reformatted version of your selection.

If no suitable image exists, you can either supply one to the Image Library manager (it will need to be approved for format and quality) or request to have a new photograph taken.

Next specify the person’s role by selecting either ‘Faculty Librarian’ or ‘Assistant Faculty Librarian’.

Below this you will see a list of tick boxes for both schools/faculties and subjects. Tick all that apply to the individual. This determines on which pages their contact details will appear.

When you finish filling out the form, click ‘Submit’. The details will be published immediately and appear on all subject pages associated with that member of staff. After successful submission, the form is re-displayed allowing you to make changes. If there was an error, you will see an error message. When you are happy with the record click [Return] to go back to the home page.

To abandon your submission, just click [Return].

6.2 Editing StaffTo edit an existing staff entry, click the appropriate name at the top of the form. The form will then be displayed pre-filled in with the existing information. You can change any of the fields as required.

When changing faculties and subjects remember to uncheck those that no longer apply as well as checking new ones.

Once finished filling out the form, click [Submit]. To abandon your submission click [Return].

6.3 Deleting StaffTo delete a member of staff from the system, select their name from the list at the top of the page. A [Delete] button will appear at the bottom of the form. Click this to remove the person from the system as well as any reference to them on the subject pages. This deletion cannot be reversed. If you delete by mistake, that person will have to be added to the system again.

Note: while the staff image will be removed from the subject pages, it is not deleted from the Image Library. If this is required, contact the Image Library manager.

7 Managing NotificationsThe subject pages allow for the inclusion of notifications or alerts, displayed at the top of the My Subject home page and any other appropriate subject pages. Notifications are intended for information that needs to be displayed on a temporary basis and does not warrant changing the actual subject pages. The notification is placed at the top of the page to catch the user’s attention.

A typical use of a notification would be to alert users to services which are on trial for a limited period, workshops or new service features.

All features of this facility are accessed by selecting ‘Manage Notifications’ from the administration home page.

If there are any notifications in the system, they are listed on the Manage Notifications page with colour coding; green = published, yellow = pending, red = deleted in display date order (earliest first). Note that a notification marked as published will only be shown to the users during the display dates listed – it is possible to publish notifications in advance of the display date. Each line has a ‘View’, ‘Edit’ and ‘Delete’ or ‘Restore’ button.

7.1 Adding a NotificationAt the top of the list on the Manage Notifications page is an [Add Notification] button. Click this to access the Add a Notification form.

7.1.1 HeadlinesYou must enter a ‘headline’ for the notification – this can be up to 250 characters, but something short and snappy is more likely to get the reader’s attention. The object here is to get the user to click through to further information, so try to entice rather than explain.

7.1.2 Blog Link or Page Content?After the headline you can choose to:

1) Provide a link to a post on Liblog which gives further information. As we often promote new services or trials through the blog, using a link offers a way of providing the same information through 2 routes without needing to add and maintaining information in 2 places.

To get the URL, go to Liblog and click on the post’s title. This will open the post as a self-contained page. Copy the URL from your browser’s navigation field and paste it into the URL field on the form.

Or

2) Type the additional information into a free text field below the URL field. Using the TinyMCE editor you can format the text as desired. You can also cut ‘n’ paste from other sources – for example a publishers blurb. There is no limit to the length of this entry.

Text entered here will be published as a standalone webpage, but the only point of access to it will be the notification headline on subject pages.

Or

3) There may be cases where a notification requires no additional text, just the headline.

Note: if you provide both a blog URL and some free text, the blog URL will take precedence. Choose to use only one or the other.

7.1.3 Start and Finish DatesYou must enter a start and finish date for publishing the notification (subject to your publication setting – see below). To show a post immediately, use today’s date as the start. Notifications will displayed continuously until the end date. The day after the end date they will automatically be deleted from the system and can’t be restored. You can extend the display period at any time before the end date using the edit function.

If your notification includes content in the text field, the page this creates will be removed based on the end date. If your notification points to a blog post, the post will not be affected by the end date.

7.1.4 Subject SelectionYou also need to select which subject pages you wish to display the notification. Notifications appear at the top of each page belonging to the selected subject; the top of the school/faculty pages for the subject and the top of the My Subject home page. In other words, all notifications appear on the home page, but only some notifications may appear on a subject page.

For convenience, you may choose to select a faculty/school which will automatically add the notification to all its subject. You may add additional subjects as well.

If you have a notification which you think belongs on every subject page, this information is almost certainly better handled as a general news item rather than a notification (contact libnews@port.ac.uk).

7.1.5 PublicationThere is a ‘Publish’ tick box at the bottom of the page. Check this to allow the page to be published according to the schedule set by the start and finish dates. If you leave this unchecked the page will never be published, regardless of the date settings. When finished click [Submit]. You will see a confirmation page with the options to [Confirm] (add to the system) or [Edit] your notification.

7.2 Viewing a NotificationIf a notification is scheduled for future publication, or is in a pending (yellow) state it cannot be seen from the public facing web pages. However it is useful to be able to see what the published version will look like to the user. Clicking The [View] button allows you to see the finished notification regardless of date or status. The page you created, or the blog post you linked to will be displayed in a new tab/window.

Tip: For those who want to be cautious, a good way of working is to add a notification, but leave the ‘Publish’ tick box unchecked. Submit and confirm the notification, then use [View] to check what the user will see. You can then make any changes, or change the publication status using the edit option.

Note: in the case of notifications which consist only of a headline, you will not see a [View] button as there is no page or post associated with the headline.

7.3 Editing a NotificationEach line has an [Edit] button – click this to view the notification using the same form as was used to add a notification. The form will be pre-filled in with the current notification data which you can change following the guidance provided for adding a notification.

The edit function can be used to extend or reduce the period the notification will display or to change the published/pending status as well as making changes to the content.

7.4 Deleting/Restoring NotificationsNotifications are automatically deleted from the system the day after they reach the end display date. Expired notifications cannot be restored.

It is possible you will need to delete a notification before it reaches its end date (perhaps due to a complaint). You can do this by clicking the [Delete] button alongside the relevant notification.

Deleted notifications are removed from public view, and a [Restore] button will be shown alongside the notification. Clicking [Restore] will recover the deleted item, and place it in a pending status. To make the restored item public you will need to click [Edit] and check the ‘Publish’ tick box at the bottom of the editing form.

Deleted items will be retained for 30 days, or until the end display date, whichever is sooner. After that the notification will be removed from the system and no longer be listed.

8 Managing Library Guide LinksThe Library Guides and Subject Pages have been integrated so that they share a common database of subjects. A particular Library Guide can be associated with one or more subjects. This allows

1. Someone using the Library Guide system to select those guides associated with their subject area

2. Someone using the Subject Pages to view a list of relevant Library Guides.

A Library Guide/Subject association can be made using either the Library Guide or Subject Pages administration system. The most recent change made in either system will be reflected in both sets of user facing pages. An important difference is that when working with the Library Guide system you can see guides that have been deleted and pending publication. When using the Subject Pages system, only currently published guides will be visible.

To make or change associations through the Subject Pages Administration:

1. Select ‘Manage Links to Library Guides’ from the Manage Page Content section of the Subject Pages Admin home page.

2. Use the dropdowns to select the subject you want to work with. (Note – Library Guides cannot be added to schools/faculties or walk-in access pages.

3. You will see a list of all the Library Guides. Tick the guide you want added – the link is made as soon as you tick the guide.

4. To remove a guide, simply untick the item. The link is removed immediately. Note that the Library Guide is not deleted.

When viewed via the Subject Pages, only published guides are visible to both users and administrators. This means that should a Library Guide expire or otherwise be deleted, it will

automatically be removed from the Subject Page listing (if the guide is later restored, it will automatically re-appear on the listing).

Note that Library Guide management only pertains to the listing produced when the user selects ‘relevant Library Guides’ using the dropdown navigation. It does not affect any links which may have been added manually to your subject pages (for example, as part of a resource description). Even with the availability of a ‘relevant Library Guides’ listing, you may still choose to add additional Library Guide links manually at appropriate places in your subject pages.

Appendix A: Current Page Types

Custom Faculty Page:

Designed to be used as a free content page (ie. authors can add anything they like). Author must include any necessary heading, formatting, links etc. Author must supply a title. An important feature of this page is that it is available to the user from every subject associated with that faculty, hence it can be used for general information without the need to write a page for each subject. An example of this is the Health Science FAQ page.

You cannot add resources (using the system tools) or Subsections to this page type.

Custom Page:

Designed to be used as a free content page (ie. authors can add anything they like). Author must include any necessary heading, formatting, links etc. Author must supply a title. This page type is intended for use for subject pages which do not conform to an existing page type.

This page must include some introductory text (or complete page texts). Subsections and resource links are allowed, but not mandatory.

Faculty/School Overview:

This page type is only used to provide an introduction page to the faculty/school. Normal administrators should never create such pages (they will have been created by super users when adding a faculty to the system), but they can be edited by any administrator. There are no mandatory elements.

You cannot add resources (using the system tools) or Subsections to this page type.

Be aware that the content only forms part of a faculty introduction page, other elements (staff pictures, resource listings) being added from the system. Care should be taken to keep any content as brief as possible. Consider using a Custom Faculty Page should you need to provide more than a couple of paragraphs of text.

Finding Articles:

A subject page designed for listing resources useful for finding articles. Title is auto-generated. There is provision for optional introductory text. Resources and/or subsections can be added to this page type.

Introduction:

This page type is only used to provide an introduction page for the subject. Normal administrators should never create such pages (they will have been created by super users when adding a faculty to the system), but they can be edited by any administrator. You must provide some content, formatting choices are at the author’s discretion.

You cannot add resources (using the system tools) or subsections to this page type.

Location Data:

This page type is used to describe the physical location of books in the Library relevant to a particular subject. You can add free text guidance, select from a list of classmarks, or both. If you select from classmarks this will enable the published page to create links to location maps. The list of classmarks displayed is managed via the Classmark Administration Page.

You cannot add resources (using the system tools) or subsections to this page type.

Reading Lists:

This is used to list the reading lists associated subject. The reading lists themselves will be added as resources (do not add them into this form). You can provide introductory text if required.

You cannot add subsections to this page type.

Recommended Sources:

A subject page designed for listing resources useful beyond simply finding articles. Title is auto-generated. There is provision for optional introductory text. Resources and/or subsections can be added to this page type.

Appendix B: Current Subsection TypesNote: Subsections can be used to group like types of resources together, but it does not mean the class of resource has to be in a specific subsection. For instance, if Box of Broadcasts is the only AV resource referenced for a given subject, the Faculty Librarian may prefer to include with, for example, websites or specialist e-resources. Use of a subsection should be based on how things are presented to the user rather than technicalities. The technical aspects of a resource are held in the resource database.

Audio Visual Resources

Used to group audio visual resource references together. Title is auto-generated. User may optionally supply introductory text. Resources can be added to this subsection.

Custom

Can be used to create a resource grouping of your own choosing, or any other purpose. Requires a section title. User may optionally supply introductory text. Resources can be added to this subsection.

Databases

Typically used for online bibliographic databases, usually as part of a ‘Finding Articles’ page. Title is auto-generated. User may optionally supply introductory text. Resources can be added to this subsection.

Journals

Should be used to exclusively for journal titles. Title is auto-generated. User may optionally supply introductory text. Resources can be added to this subsection.

News Resources & Archives

Used to group news resources together. Title is auto-generated. User may optionally supply introductory text. Resources can be added to this subsection. In some cases a news resource may be more appropriately listed as an AV resource, depending on context.

Specialist e-Resources

A bit of a ‘catch all’ title. Probably best used for those resources which are more than static web pages or a bibliographic database. This could include statistical datasets, standards or similar. Title is auto-generated. User may optionally supply introductory text. Resources can be added to this subsection.

Websites

Another slightly vague category, probably best used for services which are essentially websites for an organisation rather than a route to further information. For example, government or agency information. Title is auto-generated. User may optionally supply introductory text. Resources can be added to this subsection.

Appendix C: Using the TinyMCE editor You use the editor just like any other word processor – type your text which can be selected and formated in a number or ways. There are a few features which you may not have encountered

before – a full list of controls is listed below. The editor is not as full featured as Word, but should be adequate for subject page content. Anything else can if necessary be created using HTML coding.

1. Bold – highlight the text you want emboldened and click the icon2. Italic – highlight the text you want italicised and click the icon

3. Subscript - highlight the text and click the icon to resize and position text as a subscript4. Superscript - highlight the text and click the icon to resize and position text as a superscript

5. Special Characters – click on this icon to reveal a pop-up containing a range of symbols and accented characters that you won’t find on your keyboard. Click on a character to insert it into your text at the current cursor position.

6. Text colour – you can change the colour of selected text by choosing from a drop down pallet. Note that it is considered bad practice to colour text unnecessarily, or to rely solely on colour to convey meaning. Always assume your reader is colour blind.

7. Format – defaults to standard text font and size (paragraph) but you can select from a range of headings if required. Headings should be used only to reflect the structure of the document. Do not use this just to make text bigger. The highest heading you should use is Heading 2 because the title of the page will use Heading 1.

8. Alignment – this will align highlighted text (or images) to left, right or centre of the page. As a general rule, avoid using this as it may conflict with the page's automatic layout. You'll be able to see any problem when you preview the page.

9. Bullet list – click the icon and start typing your list. Each carriage return will create a new bullet point. Click the icon again after the last item in your list. There is no provision for sub-lists.

10. Numbered list – as per the bullet list, except numbers are used instead of bullet points.

11. Indent/Outdent - indent a line or paragraph of text. Once text has been indented, the outdent icon allows you to undo your indentation. Use should be avoided unless absolutely necessary

12. Link / Unlink – used to create links. Highlight the text you want to make a link, then click the chain icon. A pop-up window will appear with a field to enter the URL – make sure you replace the default http:// with the full URL. It is recommended you copy the link and replace the default text. You can also enter a plain English name for the link, and select to open the link in a new window. For links outside the Library website pages always opt for a new window. Click ‘add link’ to complete and close the pop-up. The broken chain icon can be used to remove a link.

13. Table - used to define a table via a dropdown allowing you to specify the required number of rows and columns. Tables can be problematic on mobile devices so this should not be used unless absolutely necessary.

14. Undo/Redo – reverses or re-applies the last action.

15. Source code - reveals the HTML/CSS code behind the page, which is editable. This can be useful to achieve an effect not supported by the editing tool, but should be left alone unless you have expertise with HTML and CSS.

16. Full screen – toggles a full screen mode for the section you are editing. Has no effect on the content.